Real-life ice castles are coming to New Zealand

Incredible ice castles are coming to New Zealand this winter, and if the cold never bothered you anyway then these sub-zero fairytale creations are an absolute must-see.

All the way from North America, Utah father of six Brent Christensen is bringing his storybook inspired sculptures to Queenstown, New Zealand, this winter for the first time ever, and as you can see from the video, kids and adults alike will love exploring the real-life ice castles.

(Ice Castles)

Originally created by the doting dad seven years ago for his kids to enjoy winter in their own front yard, Brent’s ice caves soon grabbed the attention of a flurry of locals who flocked to see his creations. Now Brent's ice castles have popped up in six locations around Canada and the United States, with New Zealand representing the seventh location worldwide – and the very first in the Southern Hemisphere.

Using up to 12,000 icicles a day to create the enchanted frozen castles, the exciting attractions, including ice caves, towering tunnels and slides, are currently under construction at Coronet Peak – just 15 minutes from downtown Queenstown.

(Ice Castles)

Adding extra magic to the fairytale ice castles, the frozen fortresses will be illuminated at night, with colour changing lights twinkling in the ice after dark.

"We are excited to bring the magic of Ice Castles to New Zealand," said the company’s CEO Ryan Davis.

"With New Zealand’s winter occurring during North America's summer, we are able to give more people around the world an inexpensive way to enjoy the outdoors together and freeze time with their families year-round."